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Written by Celeste Bailey, from the Village Church.

Last year, I had the opportunity to visit Israel with SAT-7. It was a lifetime experience that brought a renewed spiritual awakening in me. To visit actual places where many Biblical events took place brought a new meaning of Scripture – it became alive! One of the highlights of the trip was walking through Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, which

represents the path that Jesus took to His crucifixion. Via Dolorosa means ‘sorrowful way’ in Latin or ‘way of suffering’. What struck me the most was the stone handprint at Station Five of the Via Dolorosa (photo above). Jesus may have stumbled and reached out His hand on the wall for support as He was carrying the heavy cross to a point that Simon of Cyrene had to help him. As it is written in Luke 23:26 “As they led Him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.” As I placed my hand on the stone handprint, I was overwhelmed by grief for what Jesus had to endure because of His unconditional love for me and the world. My grief was followed by a quick prayer thanking Him for His sacrifice. As I recall that experience, I am reminded of Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Jesus denied Himself for my sake. Am I ready to deny myself and share the burden of the cross for Him?

Carrying His own cross, He went out to the place of the skull [John 19:17]

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Written by Victoria Riollano, a contemporary ministry leader and author.

One way to show Godly love is to pray for one another. Often, in the world of social media Christians may use the words “praying for you” out of habit. After doing so, many walk away from the screen and never pray or really think of the need brought forth. Yet, Christ prayed for His disciples (John 17:6-26). He also taught His disciples how to pray for one another and how to see God’s miracles take place. Prayer was not just a good idea, but we see Jesus praying for people throughout His ministry on earth. When we pray for others (intercession), we come into agreement for their healing, peace, and comfort. Is there any greater love than to seek the Father on someone else’s behalf? Again, this act of love is another opportunity to care about another person’s needs, even above our own. 

Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. [James 5:16]

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Written by Davis Wetherell, a contemporary writer and editor.

The Ninevites were some of the worst people. Jonah was either so afraid of them or thought they were so hopelessly lost that when God called him to go there, he went the other way. But Jonah did go and proclaim God’s Word to them, he proclaimed God’s offer of repentance to them. They responded in faith, and God withheld their due judgment. Remember the Ninevites’ story next time someone describes God as one who lacks mercy in the Old Testament. The Ninevites so deserved their punishment that Jonah himself—a prophet of God, having seen many conversions—still believed God would condemn them after they repented. Jonah’s lack of mercy in his story contrasts the overwhelming mercy and love God has for humanity.  

“Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. [Jonah 3:8-10]

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Written by Ken Gire, a contemporary author

Help me Jesus to look at you through the eyes of that thief on the cross. Grant me the grace, I pray, to see in your eyes the forgiveness that he saw. Grant me the grace to live such a life that when you do remember me in your kingdom, O Lord, you may remember me with a smile, and look forward to the day when I too, will be with you in paradise. Amen.

And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he [Jesus] said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” [Luke 23:42-43]

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Written by Vickie Stone, from the Village Church

One of my most cherished books is called “Intimate Moments with the Savior; Learning to Love“, by Ken Gire. The copyright is 1989 and I had it for years before, like many of my books, I finally read it. Once I did, however, it is a book I go to time and again. During Lenten season one of the stories in this book especially sticks with me:  “An Intimate Moment with a Thief on the Cross”. Jesus is suffering on the cross; on both sides of him hang a thief, teetering between life and death. At last one reaches out in faith, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Not much is known about the criminal on the cross next to Christ. We know from Matthew’s scripture that this thief joined with the crowds in mocking Jesus. Yet his plea to Jesus before he dies is the last kind word Jesus hears.   Jesus responds to the thief “Today you will be with me in Paradise”. He receives the blessed assurance of the Savior. This thief had mocked Jesus to come down from the cross and save himself and taunted Jesus for His claims to be the Son of God.  What did the thief see Jesus do, that made him reconsider who Jesus was? Even as Jesus is taking spears in his side, this thief hears Jesus appeal for mercy for His persecutors, His tormentors.   As he feels himself fading, the thief meets the eyes of the Savior, and for a moment, all time stands still. And in those eyes, he sees no hatred, no scorn, no judgment. He sees only one thing – forgiveness.

Then he knows. He is face to face with a dying God.

As the author writes: “Incredible, when you think of it. Amidst the humiliating abuse of the crowd and excruciating pain of the cross, Jesus was still about his Father’s business. Even with his eyes sinking on the feverish horizon of death, he was telling a common thief about the uncommon riches of heaven.”

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” [Luke 23:39]

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Written by Gregory of Narek (950-1003), an Armenian poet, monk, and theologian.

You found me, a sinner, lost in darkness crying like the psalmist in prayer,

       and because of Your willing care You were called Shepherd,

for not only did You care but You sought,

       not only did You find, O worker of miracles

but with the goodness of Your love,

       A love that defies description,

You rescued me, lifting me upon Your shoulder,

       To set me down alongside Your heavenly army,

the heirs to Your fatherly legacy.

He [The LORD] brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. [2 Samuel 22:20]

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Written by Victoria Riollano, a contemporary ministry leader and author.

Honesty is a quality that goes a long way. Making a choice to tell the truth when it’s difficult is an act of love. Yet, one must balance truth with grace. Telling the truth without grace is rude and causes us to make harsh statements. However, giving grace and never sharing the truth is enabling. We have a duty as Christians to share the truth even when it’s not comfortable or acceptable by the world’s standards. In doing so, we must realize that it’s not just what we share but how we share it. In general, airing our feelings on public forums, in a way that may embarrass, or in a demeaning way, will always be met with contempt. One-on-one conversations and not avoiding answering questions of faith or ethics (when asked) can help us to communicate truth in a way that will be respected and heard. Let us remain prayerful and students of the Word so that we can be ready when the time comes to share His truth.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. [2 Timothy 2:15]

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Written by Catherine Montgrain, from the Village Church.

When I moved from Canada to the USA (moving to a small town in Indiana and not California quite yet) , I was what I could call doubly culture shocked. Shock from learning a new bilingual culture in Quebec from my native UK , to shock from moving from that multicultural experience to a small mid-western town where many people had never traveled out of their country or even their state. I asked God to guide me on this journey and he showed me how life plays out when we let ourselves be guided. How does this happen? By engaging with the people we meet in each new place. After joining churches, school activities with our four children who were also in culture shock from Canada , we were humbled and grateful for how caring the people were in the USA. I joined charities to provide shoes to schoolchildren whose parents struggled to buy them, worked in a free Catholic-run  clinic to give medical help to people without insurance,  and joined many school fundraisers of all kinds with our children. I was so impressed with how selfless and hard-working all these kind Americans were. They would work so hard and literally tire themselves out helping people. I will never forget the example these lovely people from all walks of life gave me. Commitment, dedication, love, and mainly faith. I soon forgot my homesickness and started trying to emulate them . I still haven’t managed to but God is helping me.  

But give as alms those things that are within and behold, everything is clean for you [Luke 11:41]

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Written by Kim Arnold, a contemporary music teacher and writer.

God’s steadfast love for us is firm and unwavering. It is not merited upon our performance. He does not look at us and think, “Oh, she messed up again. I will only love her a little bit today.” No! Scripture continually proclaims that God’s love is devoted, faithful, and enduring. The love that He promises us in heaven is the same constant love that He gives us today… He pursues us with His love no matter what season of life we are in. He pursues us in the boring mundane, chaotic mundane, lonely mundane, and hurting mundane. Whatever season you are in, keep your eyes open to where He is revealing His love for you in Scripture… I see God holding me in the comfort of His arms to quiet my soul. There is no place I would rather be during the mundane days than held by my Savior.

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save you; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. [Zephaniah 3:17]

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Today’s devotional is from Newspring Church.

God does not love us because of what we do or don’t do. He loves us because of who He is. Such a powerful truth can be hard for us to wrap our minds around. God gives an example of His unconditional love for us through Hosea’s marriage. It would seem that Hosea had already done the godly thing by looking past Gomer’s history as a prostitute and marrying her. Despite her infidelity, Hosea was faithful. And when Gomer runs away yet again, God tells Hosea to go after his wife, loving her in spite of the mess. “Go find her. Go love her again,” God says. Hosea had nothing to gain from loving Gomer. She didn’t even seem to love him back! But Hosea’s love did not depend on what Gomer did or did not do. In this way, Hosea is a picture of God, while Gomer represents you and me. God loves us even if we run and even if we choose not to love Him back. God chases after us because He hurts when we hurt. God knows that even the best the world can offer us will not satisfy the longing in our souls. We try to fill our hearts, minds, and bodies with new things and new relationships, but the emptiness always catches up. God continues to love us regardless of where we run. He comes to the darkest, messiest places to find us and rescue us, again and again, because He loves us.

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them,  but transgressors stumble in them. [Hosea 14:9]

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